With three games left in the NBA regular season, there are still plenty of playoff seeds left to be decided. The Los Angeles Clippers hold a 47-32 record on the season, which currently keeps them at the fourth seed, though this is the exact same record as the Grizzlies, Nuggets and Warriors. James Harden and company have done a nice job staying afloat this season but the job is not finished and they are looking to cement their best postseason spot. They will take on the Houston Rockets tonight who have clinched the second seed in the Western Conference and this could end up being a playoff series preview if the Clippers fall into the play-in mix.
Harden earned his 11th All-Star appearance this season and has been the lifeblood of the Clippers’ offense for the bulk of the year. He is averaging 22.4 points, 8.6 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 34.7% from beyond the three-point arc on 8.5 perimeter shots per game.
The Clippers are eight-point favorites and -325 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s matchup. The Rockets hold +260 odds on the Moneyline with the game total set at 219.
It should be noted that Kawhi Leonard missed last night’s victory over the Spurs with the expectation he will return tonight. With the stage set, here are my favorite James Harden prop bets ahead of the Wednesday night thriller.
Best James Harden Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Harden’s props are listed at over/under 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.5 made three-pointers and 35.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
James Harden Over 8.5 Assists (-135)
With Kawhi Leonard’s ongoing absences due to injury management, James Harden has been forced into more of a score-first mode more often than is best for him at this stage of his career. The former MVP has been mostly successful in this role but can settle into more of a true point guard role when Leonard is on the floor. Harden is averaging 9.7 assists in games played with Leonard this season compared to 7.8 assists per game when he is not on the floor.
Overall, Harden is averaging 8.6 assists per game and has recorded over 8.5 assists in 37 games this season. This includes three of the past four games.
Houston is a hard-nosed defensive team with plenty of high-level defenders. These types of youthful athletes are the kind of matchup that can give Harden trouble at this stage of his career when it comes to attempting to create off the dribble. As a team, Houston ranks fifth in opponent points per game and fifth in opponent field-goal percentage. However, Harden is still a large enough threat for this to open passing lanes and he possesses some of the best basketball IQ in the league.
Expect Harden to have success creating shots with Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac continuing to be the biggest beneficiaries. Count on Harden to open things up as a passer, especially on the second night of a back-to-back after playing 38 minutes last night and with the tough defense in mind. Expect him to record over 8.5 assists for the 38th time this season and the fourth time over the past five matchups.
James Harden Over 3.5 Turnovers (-110)
While turnovers should never be viewed in a fully positive light, they happen organically when you have the ball as much as James Harden does. He is at the epicenter of everything the Clippers do offensively with both the good and bad. On the season, Harden is averaging 4.3 turnovers per game, which is the third-most in the NBA. Harden has tallied as many as nine turnovers in a game and recorded over 3.5 turnovers in 54 of the 76 games he has played.
The Rockets are forcing 14.4 turnovers per game, which ranks 15th in the NBA. Four different players are averaging over 1.0 steal per game. Harden tallied five turnovers in one of the matchups thus far but did manage to limit himself to just one turnover in the other. This was tied for his second-fewest turnovers in any game this season.
Harden has tallied five turnovers in three of his past six games and Houston will be the most difficult defense he has faced during this stretch. Even with their seeding locked up, expect each member of this young Rockets roster to be looking to prove what they can do and compete on the defensive end. Expect Harden to have a few slip-ups during this game and be bothered by the Rockets’ defense for stretches. Count on him tallying over 3.5 turnovers for the 55th time this season with some tired legs showing up on the second night of the back-to-back.
